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Ambassador
6,698,702
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

There were no surprises for me, I had been working on the sidelines for so long that most of what we learned in the classes, tests, and afterwards was old news.

Dec 16, 2017 03:10 PM
Rainmaker
828,725
Steve Higgins
RE/MAX Kelowna - Kelowna, BC

There were no surprises for me. My only regret is I didn't get into it sooner.  

Dec 16, 2017 06:28 PM
Rainmaker
1,231,853
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

No second thoughts for me.  Real estate was a good choice for me. 

Dec 16, 2017 04:01 PM
Rainmaker
1,102,470
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Nope! The only way out is through. I wasn't ready for a lot of stuff but I catch on quick and I had the common sense and good fortune to pick an amazing first broker.

Dec 16, 2017 02:59 PM
Rainmaker
5,584,889
Barbara Todaro
Retired...Mentoring Newbies - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

no, there was nothing that would have made me change my mind.... I needed a full time job...teaching had too many vacations....made me crazy!!! 

Dec 16, 2017 02:56 PM
Rainmaker
5,493,546
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

It was so long ago, we memorized useless information that they tested on! I just wanted the license and knew what we were being taught was useless!

Dec 16, 2017 02:49 PM
Rainmaker
8,162,523
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Law school and a real estate commission manual were my preparations before taking the broker exam in 1960 while I was still in school. I had no licensing classes.

Dec 16, 2017 05:24 PM
Ambassador
5,492,952
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

The only thing that I regret never being told or not doing in the beginning would be hiring a coach. I didn't know what I didn't know about organization and processes (among other things)!

A great coach from the beginning would have been a great investment!

Dec 16, 2017 05:19 PM
Rainmaker
1,713,581
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

Never had second thoughts.

Dec 16, 2017 04:57 PM
Rainmaker
1,621,747
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® CRS,ABR,PSA,RCS-D, ePRO
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
Serving Coastal San Diego, Veteran's & Seniors

There’s really too much to list and I was fortunate enough to find Buffini & Company within five months of getting my license so I’ve been properly trained for virtually all my career.

I believe the thing that severely lacking in the barrier of entry to getting a real estate license though is basic business skills: people treat this like a job when it is a business.

Dec 16, 2017 04:39 PM
Rainmaker
5,322,261
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

I didn't have many surprises, outside of realizing how much more patience I needed to develop (not naturally a very patient person). In NYC, where I began my career, we were told up-front not to expect to see a commission check for 6-9 months and to have financial reserves. My first commission check was paid on my sixth month anniversary in the business.

The main thing I wish I'd been more "trained for" early on was a working by referral system.

Dec 17, 2017 04:35 AM
Rainmaker
2,526,643
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

The only thing they taught was how to pass the test, they didn't teach us a dang thing about selling real estate.

Dec 16, 2017 07:09 PM
Rainer
58,611
Annie Adjchavanich
Secret HQ, Inc - Los Angeles, CA
CRE LA, Orange Co, SFV, South Bay, Inland Empire

I wish I had started 20 years ago...but no regrets!

Dec 19, 2017 08:40 PM
Rainmaker
530,304
Kathryn Acciari
Central One Federal Credit Union - Shrewsbury, MA
Mortgage Loan Originator

I wish someone had warned me how emotional people get when buying and selling homes. Knowing real estate laws, rules, regulations, processes etc are all important, but building and maintaining rapport with clients is also.

Dec 17, 2017 03:38 AM
Rainmaker
1,651,260
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

No one tells you in the school how to lead generate and how to convert those leads. Also no one tells you that it can be 70-80 hour job.... so much for time flexibility. 

Dec 16, 2017 09:50 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,138
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

When I got my license it was in the days that no education was required. I have no regrets and dug in and got the enducaiton I needed. I think agents today need to do the same things.

Dec 16, 2017 08:33 PM
Ambassador
2,709,473
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

  Maybe things like how to fill out a contract.  How to walk a Buyer into the lender's office.  Other real-world stuff.

 No second thoughts!

Dec 16, 2017 08:07 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,473
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

To call people more than one time when letting them know you changed professions.

Dec 16, 2017 05:29 PM
Rainmaker
5,774,100
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Like Candice A. Donofrio said "The way out is the way through!"

Dec 16, 2017 04:46 PM
Rainmaker
544,114
Dave Halpern
Dave Halpern Real Estate Agent, Inc., Louisville, KY (502) 664-7827 - Louisville, KY
Louisville Short Sale Expert

Expel the naysayers from your life.

Dec 16, 2017 04:19 PM
Rainmaker
4,322,035
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®,CRS, - nothing special I can think of after so many years!

Jan 16, 2018 07:45 PM
Rainmaker
6,012,308
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

I did not experience any 2nd thoughts, but wish I would have gotten in much earlier in my life! 

Dec 20, 2017 08:32 AM
Rainmaker
979,796
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

What they teach you at real estate school has nothing to do with what you will be doing in the real world as a real estate agent.

Dec 19, 2017 05:35 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,227
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Not thought of it

Dec 17, 2017 11:18 AM
Rainmaker
1,539,804
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

No surprises here, I grew up in the field so I was very aware going in.  The only downside was that the way the book wanted you to answer questions was sometimes in conflict with how things were done in reality.

Dec 17, 2017 11:08 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,257
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®,CRS, I knew what to expect. My wife already had her license a few years when I got licensed.

Dec 17, 2017 09:52 AM
Ambassador
3,432,801
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Teach anything that is actually helpful working in the trenches of real estate. It's shameful what we need to learn to pass the exam has little to do with the real (no pun intended) world. 

Dec 17, 2017 08:46 AM
Rainmaker
2,851,803
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

What I have seen as most  useful and that is lacking is interpersonal skills

Dec 17, 2017 07:31 AM
Rainmaker
602,031
Nathan Gesner
American West Realty and Management - Cody, WY
Broker / Property Manager

I am big on self-education so I entered the profession with eyes wide open. Most agents don't understand the costs, the sporadic income, or how much work is actually involved in starting out.

Dec 17, 2017 07:30 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,372
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

That the worst part of the job is the things we can not control, appraisers, inspectors and under writers. But we can limit the odds by doing certain things

Dec 17, 2017 06:20 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

'What should they have taught me when I was getting my license????"

That was sooooo long ago. Maybe a suggestion instructions would not be carved in stone eventually.

Today, the new agent should be taught their real career is MARKETING. 

Dec 17, 2017 05:55 AM
Rainmaker
3,074,389
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Coldwell Banker Realty

Wayne Martin nailed this one!

Dec 17, 2017 05:37 AM
Ambassador
2,580,217
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

They should have taught prospecting, how much of it would be required, how much time it would take, and all the various methods of doing that.

They should have covered lead management tools and options, such as CRM systems and what they can help us do.

They should have mentioned actual dealing with buyers and sellers. Not just the legal aspects of disclosures, but the types of issues we might run into.

They should have discussed the commission process; that any commission is split at least four ways, and why.

They should have talked about realtor safety.

There should have been some information provided on how to select the right broker.

All of those real-life items would have helped whittle the number of agents applying for their license. Not me though. I'm stubborn as all get out and once I decide to do something, I'm IN.

Dec 17, 2017 05:04 AM